Payroll Company Review • Updated October 2026
ADP Payroll Review 2026: Pricing, Plans, Pros & Cons
Is ADP worth it? We break down RUN, Workforce Now and TotalSource, what ADP really costs, where it shines and where it falls short — so you can decide before you call sales.
Get an ADP Payroll Quote → See ADP Pricing
4.1/5
★★★★☆
Our rating
Best overall for growing businesses
Is ADP Payroll Worth It? Our Verdict
ADP is worth it for businesses that want a proven, highly compliant payroll provider that can grow with them — from a 5-person shop on RUN to a 500-person company on Workforce Now or a PEO through TotalSource. We rate ADP 4.1/5: excellent features, scalability and tax compliance, held back by unpublished pricing, add-on fees and inconsistent support. Small teams that just need simple payroll may pay less with Gusto or OnPay.
ADP ranks #1 in our best payroll outsourcing companies rankings and #2 (as ADP RUN) in our best payroll software rankings.
On this page
ADP Ratings Breakdown
Overall: 4.1/5, the average of the five categories.
What users say
On G2, RUN Powered by ADP holds about a 4.6/5 rating from 5,300+ reviews, with 93% of reviewers saying they’d recommend it. The broader ADP Payroll Services listing averages about 4.0/5.
Users most often praise reliability, tax handling and the mobile app, and most often criticize support wait times, pricing increases and setup complexity.
ADP Pros and Cons
✔ Pros
- Scales with you from 1 employee (RUN) to 1,000+ (Workforce Now) without switching vendors
- Strong compliance: federal, state and local tax filing plus compliance alerts
- One vendor for everything: payroll, HR, time, benefits, 401(k), PEO and global payroll
- Highly rated mobile app for owners and employees
- Huge integration marketplace with accounting, POS and HR tools
- Long track record: founded in 1949 and publicly traded since 1961
⚠ Cons
- No published pricing — every business gets a custom quote
- Add-on and year-end fees (W-2/1099 preparation, extra modules) raise the total
- Cost rises with payroll frequency, so weekly payroll costs more
- Support quality varies by rep and service tier
- Learning curve for new admins, especially on Workforce Now
- Promotional pricing can end — ask about renewal increases
ADP Payroll Products Explained
ADP sells different products by company size. Knowing which one you’d be quoted helps you compare fairly.
| ADP product | Built for | What it includes | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| RUN Powered by ADP | 1–49 employees | Payroll, tax filing, direct deposit, mobile app; packages add HR tools | Custom quote by package |
| ADP Workforce Now | 50–1,000+ employees | Payroll plus HR, time, benefits, talent and ACA in one HCM platform | Custom quote, per employee per month |
| ADP TotalSource | Small and mid-sized businesses | PEO: co-employment with payroll, HR compliance, workers’ comp and group benefits | Custom quote, PEO fees |
| ADP Vantage HCM / ADP Lyric | 1,000+ and global employers | Enterprise and global HCM and payroll | Enterprise quote |
Growing past 50 employees? See our guide to payroll outsourcing for mid-sized businesses. Under 50? Start with payroll outsourcing for small business.
RUN Powered by ADP Packages
Most small businesses are quoted one of four RUN packages. Each adds to the one before it.
| RUN package | Key features |
|---|---|
| Essential Payroll | Payroll, direct deposit, federal/state/local tax filing, new hire reporting, W-2s and 1099s, employee self-service and mobile app |
| Enhanced Payroll | Everything in Essential plus check signing and stuffing, state unemployment insurance management, garnishment payment service and labor law poster compliance |
| Complete Payroll & HR Plus | Everything in Enhanced plus HR helpdesk, employee handbook wizard, background checks, document vault and compliance alerts |
| HR Pro Payroll & HR | Everything in Complete plus enhanced HR support, employee assistance program, training and legal assistance services |
Package names and features as described by ADP and independent reviewers in 2026; features can vary by state and promotion.
ADP doesn’t publish prices. Compare an ADP quote side by side with other top payroll providers — free.
Compare ADP PricingHow Much Does ADP Payroll Cost in 2026?
ADP does not publish pricing; every business receives a custom quote based on headcount, pay frequency, package and add-ons. Third-party estimates put RUN Essential at roughly $79 per month plus about $4 per employee, small teams at about $150–$250 per month all-in, and Workforce Now at about $23–$30 per employee per month for base modules.
| Product | Reported 2026 estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RUN Essential | About $79/mo + $4/employee | Third-party estimate (Business.com, Tech.co); not confirmed by ADP |
| RUN, 1–10 employees (all-in) | About $150–$250/mo | Varies by package and pay frequency |
| RUN, 11–25 employees (all-in) | About $250–$450/mo | Higher packages add HR features |
| Workforce Now | About $23–$30 per employee/mo (base modules) | Time, benefits and talent modules extra |
| TotalSource PEO | PEO admin fee often about $80–$150 per employee/mo | Plus benefits and workers’ comp costs |
Estimates compiled from third-party reports (Business.com, Tech.co, SpotSaaS, OutSail) in 2026; ADP has not confirmed these figures. Your quote may differ.
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Use ADP
ADP is a great fit if you…
- Plan to grow past 25–50 employees
- Have employees in multiple states
- Want HR support, benefits or a PEO from the same provider
- Value a long-established, financially strong vendor
- Need industry features like tips, job costing or union codes
Consider alternatives if you…
- Want transparent, published pricing (try Gusto or OnPay)
- Have fewer than 5 employees and a tight budget
- Run weekly payroll and want unlimited runs at one price
- Want the simplest possible setup
- Need certified payroll built in (see construction payroll)
ADP vs. Paychex vs. Gusto vs. Paylocity
How ADP stacks up against the providers it’s most often compared with.
| ADP | Paychex | Gusto | Paylocity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Growing businesses that want one vendor for payroll, HR and PEO | Owners who want a dedicated payroll specialist | Small teams that want simple, transparent pricing | Mid-sized companies focused on employee experience |
| Pricing | Custom quote | Custom quote (per-run) | $49/mo + $6/employee | Custom quote (PEPM) |
| Company size | 1–1,000+ | 1–1,000+ | 1–100 | 50–750 |
| PEO option | Yes (TotalSource) | Yes (Paychex PEO/Oasis) | No | No |
| Our review | — | Paychex review | Gusto review | Paylocity review |
Other ADP alternatives: OnPay, Paycor, Rippling, QuickBooks Payroll and isolved.
About ADP
Automatic Data Processing (ADP) was founded in 1949 as Automatic Payrolls, Inc. and is headquartered in Roseland, New Jersey. Publicly traded since 1961 (Nasdaq: ADP), it serves more than one million clients in over 140 countries and pays roughly one in six U.S. workers, making it the largest payroll provider in the United States.
Industry guides that mention ADP: restaurants, accountants (ADP Accountant Connect), non-profits and payroll services explained.
ADP Payroll FAQs
Is ADP good for payroll?
Yes. ADP is one of the most established payroll companies in the world, serving more than one million clients. It is especially strong for growing businesses that need reliable tax compliance, scalability and the option to add HR, benefits or a PEO. The main drawbacks are unpublished pricing, add-on fees and mixed customer support reviews.
How much does ADP payroll cost?
ADP does not publish prices and quotes each business individually. Third-party estimates put RUN Powered by ADP at roughly $79 per month plus about $4 per employee for the Essential package, or about $150 to $250 per month all-in for 1 to 10 employees. ADP Workforce Now is often estimated at $23 to $30 per employee per month for base modules.
Is ADP good for small businesses?
ADP RUN is built for businesses with 1 to 49 employees and works well for small businesses that expect to grow or want hands-on compliance support. Very small, budget-focused teams may pay less with transparent-priced providers such as Gusto or OnPay.
What is the difference between ADP RUN and ADP Workforce Now?
RUN Powered by ADP is designed for small businesses with 1 to 49 employees and focuses on payroll with optional HR tools. ADP Workforce Now is a full HCM platform for companies with 50 to 1,000 or more employees that combines payroll with HR, time tracking, benefits, talent and ACA reporting.
Does ADP charge per payroll run?
ADP RUN pricing generally increases with payroll frequency, so weekly payroll typically costs more than biweekly or semimonthly payroll. Off-cycle payrolls and year-end W-2 and 1099 form preparation can also add fees, so ask for these in your quote.
Does ADP file payroll taxes?
Yes. ADP calculates, deposits and files federal, state and local payroll taxes on your behalf in all of its payroll packages, and prepares year-end W-2 and 1099 forms.
Is ADP better than Paychex?
Neither is better for everyone. ADP is often preferred by growing companies that want one vendor for payroll, HR, PEO, retirement and global needs, while Paychex is often chosen by businesses that value an assigned payroll specialist. Comparing quotes for your headcount is the best way to decide.
Is ADP better than Gusto?
Gusto is usually simpler and cheaper for small teams, with published pricing starting at $49 per month plus $6 per employee. ADP is the stronger choice for businesses that need more advanced compliance, HR services, a PEO option or room to grow past 100 employees.
Does ADP offer a free trial?
ADP does not offer a typical self-service free trial, but it frequently runs promotions such as free months of payroll for new RUN clients. Promotions change often, so ask a sales representative about current offers.
Can ADP pay independent contractors?
Yes. ADP can pay 1099 contractors by direct deposit alongside employees and prepare year-end Form 1099-NEC filings, which are required for contractors paid $2,000 or more in 2026.
See What ADP Would Cost Your Business
Get a free, no-obligation ADP quote and compare it with other top payroll providers for your exact team size.
Get Free Payroll Quotes →Free to use • No obligation • Takes about 2 minutes